Sonargachi _ Red Light District.mov

Iraq war: Predictions vs. reality

Infographic: US ends Iraq war chapter - Interactive - Al Jazeera English

Infographic: US ends Iraq war chapter - Interactive - Al Jazeera English

Queenie Padilla After Hajj! [Emotional]

RIS Canada 2011 Trailer

How To Pray Five Times A Day With A Busy Work Schedule

Before I genuinely began to cultivate and nurture my relationship with God, I regarded the five daily prayers that Islam enjoins on believers as laborious. It seemed impractical to expect that I would be able to stop what I was doing during my busy work schedule to take time out and pray.
Working as a news wire journalist, I was often spending upwards of 10 hours a day in the office or at conferences, interviews and meetings, barely able to make time for a lunch break. If I wasn’t working, my time was divided between house chores, errands, family and friends, and exercise. I was punctual with everything in my life, except that I was late five times a day.
In my mind, it was not viable to expect that I could wake up before the crack of dawn to pray the early-morning prayer, fajr, otherwise I would be too tired to work effectively later that morning. It also seemed inefficient to interrupt my work meetings to pray duhr, the mid-day prayer, and asr, the afternoon prayer.
Making the sunset prayer maghrib was often a challenge because the window to pray is typically quite short and coincides with the time between finishing work, having dinner and returning home. So, in effect, the only prayer that was feasible for me to pray on time was isha, the evening prayer. For most of my life, thus, I would at best pray all five prayers in the evening, or skip prayers here and there to accommodate my immediate commitments.

Women pray at Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, Mandy Merzaban photo

Without realising it, my inconsistency and approach to praying trivialised the principle behind performing prayers throughout the day. I believed in God and loved Him, but on my own terms, not on the terms very clearly set out in the Quran and Prophetic teachings. Yet praying the five daily prayers, at their prescribed times, is the backbone of being a Muslim; we cannot stand upright in our faith without them. It is one of the essential practices that God has called on those who endeavour to live in Islam, a state of existence whereby a human strives to live in submission to God.
When I came to truly understand the importance of prayer, the realisation was both overwhelming and quick. It dawned on me that if I was not fulfilling this precondition, then I really could not claim to be Muslim. Even if I desired to have a solid connection with the Almighty I was not taking the necessary steps to do so. I promptly reoriented my life and it has now been a year and a half that I have not intentionally missed a prayer time, whether I am in the office, mall, grocery store, out with friends or travelling.
Looking back, I see how wrong I was about the impracticality of Islamic prayers, which are succinct and straightforward notwithstanding their resonance. When I moved from trying to fit prayers into my life to fitting my life around my prayer schedule, I instantly removed a great deal of clutter from my daily routine. Since regular prayer promotes emotional consistency and tranquillity, I began to eliminate excess negativity and cut down on unnecessary chitchat, helping me be more focused, productive and patient.
Over a short period of time, what amazed me was how easy and fluid the prayers became. Performing the early-morning prayer actually gave me a burst of energy during the day and, gradually, the prayers that I had initially perceived as cumbersome became an essential facet of my routine. With God’s help, I would find ways to make a prayer regardless of the hurdles. While in Canada for the summer, I would often catch duhr prayer in a department store fitting room, with the help of a handy Islamic prayer compass application on my Iphone.
“‘Verily the soul becomes accustomed to what you accustom it to.’ That is to say: what you at first burden the soul with becomes nature to it in the end.”
This is a line drawn from a magnificent book I am in the process of reading by great Islamic thinker Al-Ghazali, entitled “Invocations and Supplications: Book IX of the Revival of Religious Sciences.” Al-Ghazali describes a series of formulas, drawn from the Qur’an and Hadith, which we can repeat to help us attain greater proximity to the divine and purify our hearts.

Women gather for prayer outside the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Mandy Merzaban photo

At each turn in my quest to enrich my faith, I have found that what at first appears difficult becomes easy when performed with sincerity. Soon after I reoriented my life to revolve around prayer, the five prayers felt insufficient in expressing my devotion. I examined Hadith, or the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and discovered there were optional prayers I could add to my routine. Since then, I have not let a day pass without praying them.
To supplement my prayers, I have integrated various zikr, or remembrance and mentioning of God, into my days. Zikr, including repeating such phrases as “la illa ha il Allah” (There is no God but God), habitually draws our attention back to God.
Among the many rich invocations mentioned in Ghazali’s book is this one which I have started to incorporate. As we leave our houses each day, if we say “In the name of God” (Bismillah), God will guide us; when we add “I trust in God” (Tawakalt al Allah), God will protect us; and if we conclude with “There is no might or power save with God” (La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah), God will guard us.
I suppose to an outsider, these acts of devotion can appear a bit obsessive, and I have had a couple of people say this to me. Yet it is an obsession with the greatest possible consequences that can improve rather than disintegrate one’s disposition. The more time I devote to God, the greater the peace of mind I find filling my life and the more focused I become on what is important — such as treating my family and friends honourably, working hard in my job, giving charity with compassion and generosity, and maintaining integrity.
Remembering God throughout the day, through prayer and invocation, truly does polish the heart as Hadith teaches; you erase obstructions that would impede faith in its purest form.
“Truly when a man loves a thing, he repeatedly mentions it, and when he repeatedly mentions a thing, even if that may be burdensome, he loves it,” writes Ghazali.

24 Beautiful Muslim one liners‏

1) Give Allah what’s right, not what’s left.
2) Man’s way leads to a hopeless end Allah’s way leads to an endless hope.
3) A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4) He who kneels before Allah can stand before anyone.
5) In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the full stop.
6) Don’t put a question mark where Allah puts a full stop.
7) Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the mosque for a face lift.
8) When praying, don’t give Allah instructions, just report for duty.
9) Don’t wait for six strong men to take you to the mosque.(FOR YOUR JANAZAAH)
10) We don’t change Allah’s message His message changes us.
11) The mosque is prayer-conditioned.
12) When Allah ordains, He sustains.
13) Plan ahead It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
14) Most people want to serve Allah, but only in an advisory position.
15) Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Qur’an.
16) Exercise daily Walk with Allah.
17) Never give the devil a ride He will always want to drive.
18)  Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
19) Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
20) He, who angers you, controls you.
21) Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed.
22) Give Shaytaan an inch and he will be a ruler.
23) Allah doesn’t call the qualified He qualifies the called.
24) Read the Qur’an It will show u how simple life can be.

Allah Answer to All Prayers ! Beautiful Sayings of Allah

Allah Answer to All Prayers ! Beautiful Sayings of Allah

“Beautiful Islamic Quotes”

If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me. They should, therefore, respond to Me and believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:186)

Prayer is an intimate and personal bond between people and Allah. Through prayer, people express all of their troubles and wishes to Allah and seek His help. In return, He hears His servants’ calls and answers their prayers. He is closer to people than their jugular veins, knows and hears everything, and is fully aware of each inner thought. This being the case, even just thinking is enough to ask for something from Him. This shows how close Allah’s answer is.
Believers are certain that Allah hears and answers their prayers in one way or another, for they know that Allah wills everything. For this reason, they never worry that their prayers will remain unanswered. Doubting Allah’s answer means that one fails to appreciate His power. Allah answers each prayer with great ease. However, “answering a prayer” does not mean that the person receives an immediate answer or even the one that he or she is expecting. In one verse, Allah states:

Man prays for evil just as he prays for good. Man is prone to be impetuous. (Surat al-Isra’, 17:11)

Allah knows best what is good and what is bad for us, for He is the One Who directs all affairs. As is in all of His acts, He answers prayers in the way that best meets His many divine purposes, as the Qur’an reveals below:

Fighting is prescribed for you, even if it is hateful to you. It may be that you hate something when it is good for you, and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:216)

Allah’s answer to all prayers, whether hidden or open, manifests His glory. No thought or wish remains unanswered. And, only Allah hears and answers prayers, for:

Those you call on besides Allah are servants, just like yourselves. Call on them and let them respond to you, if you are telling the truth. (Surat al-A‘raf, 7:194)

Calling towards the path of truth – a motivational way.

Calling towards the path of truth – a motivational way.

And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah, and does righteous deeds, and says: “I am one of the Muslims.”
[Al-Quran, 41:33]

When we feel that Allah (swt) has blessed us as a Muslim and given us hidayah, and then we realize many around us are still wandering around, without realizing what their real goal is to be in this world. This includes non-Muslims and well as many non-practicing Muslims who are born in a Muslim family. In such cases it becomes the duty of a rightly guided person to motivate these people to come towards the right path.
The path shown by our Lord, the path of salvation… As Allah (swt) says in Quran: “Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al- Ma`ruf (all that Islam orders) and forbidding Al-Munkar (all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.” [3: 104]
Now the question comes how to motivate them?? Will they listen to us?? What if they think we are fools and talking something imaginary??
This needs some right management skills and little patience. Remember, everybody has a motivational fuse i.e. everybody can be motivated. Whenever we feel the task is difficult, all we have to do is to go 1400 years back and recall the life history of the Noble Prophet – a perfect example. Some points which should be taken care are as follows:

Manners and conduct:

First of all, Muslims should set best example in manners and conduct, justice, equality, and protection of people’s rights. They should show an ideal picture of Islam with the help of their conducts and manners by following the path of our beloved Prophet (pbuh). Remember, many non-Muslims in the life span of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) accepted Islam just by getting inspired by the Ideal way of living of many Muslims around them. As Allah (swt) says in Quran: “The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend”. [41:34]
Also, Muslims should be sure that they never fail to follow for what they advise for. Means, he himself follows that which he says, so it benefits him as well as others. He is not one of those who enjoin good but do not do it themselves, or who forbid evil yet commits. Allah says in the Quran: “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do.”[61:2-3]

Different people different needs:

Different people can be motivated in different ways. Thus, before we start our work, we need to know the psychology and background of the person we are motivating. Their mind set, their thoughts, their way of living and their problems should be known properly.
Most of the people are ignorant, following the cultures and rituals of their forefathers. They don’t know for what they are living. We will find many ignorant people around us which are in search of the truth. They get so much distracted from the outer picture of religion that they don’t know where to go and how to find their Lord. Muslims have to recognize these types of people and have to show them the true picture of religion and God. These are the people who are waiting for the truth to come. As soon as they see the truth, they accept it without any hesitation. Then it becomes the duty of the Muslims to give them what they need when they ask for it.
Most of the non-practicing Muslims know the basic concept of ‘Oneness-of-God’. They believe their Lord is one, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Messenger and about the next birth. The problem with them is, they are so much involved in problems faced in this world and they don’t realize the importance of the life after death. In such cases, we have to make them realize the importance of the religion. Show them the right view of the religion and motivate them to follow that. Make them recognize the meaning of the verse of the Quran which says: “O you who believe! Enter Silm (Islam) perfectly, and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan. Verily, he is to you a plain enemy.” [2:208]. Tell them that Allah commands His servants who believe in Him and have faith in His Messenger to implement all of Islam’s legislation and law, to adhere to all of its commandments, as much as they can, and to refrain from all of its prohibitions. Allah says: “O you who believe, Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger and do not waste your deeds” [47:33].

Concentrate on teaching the basics:

We have to make sure that when we are motivating anybody, we should only concentrate on the basics of the religion. When the foundation is right then the whole structure will be right. As for non-muslims, the first thing which we want them to realize is the importance of Islam. Without going into the details and touching the differences, if the person has some knowledge and asks questions then reply according to the conditions with examples if possible. Once the person is inspired by it and accepts the oneness of God, the rest of the path is easy.
While motivating non-practicing muslims, try not to touch the sensitive issues regarding differences. Always equip your points with the references of Quran and Sunnah. Be plain in your explanation and humble yourself. The more humble you are, the more you can convince people.

Present them Quran:

This is the Book, wherein there is no doubt, guidance for the Muttaqin.
[Al Quran, 2:2]

What our beloved Prophet (pbuh) used to do when he calls anybody towards Islam? He (pbuh) used to read Quran. Remember, Quran is the book of Allah (swt). It has got a miraculous power. Not only non-muslims, most of the Muslims also don’t understand the real purpose of the Quran. Many of them have never read the translation of the Quran. So both of the Muslims and non-Muslims need to read them by understanding. Present them the translation of Quran in their local language.
Ask them to read it and if they seem to take interest, then clear their doubts which they get while reading them.

Be polite and fair:

We have to make sure that when we call anybody towards the right path; it should be done in polite manner. As Allah (swt) says in the Quran

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better” [16:125]

While motivating a non-practicing Muslim, our speech should not be insulting. Don’t show them that we are better than you, rather help them to understand why they need to follow the religion totally, and partial understanding and partial following is not going to help them.
While motivating a non-Muslim, try not to abuse their Lords. As Allah (swt) says in the Quran “And insult not those whom they worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge.” [6:108]. Thus, Allah prohibits His Messenger and the believers from insulting the false deities of the idolaters. Insulting their deities will lead to a bigger evil, for the idolaters might retaliate by insulting the God of the believers. Moreover, direct insult to their belief will make them arrogant, and they will even stop listening to the truth.

Motivation should be repeated:

Remember, Motivation once established, does not last if not repeated. Thus, once we recognize that the person is progressing, we need to repeat our motivational process again and again. Keep visiting them time to time. Invite them to your places and have a small talk of the things based on religion. If they are busy and don’t get much time then we can have a simple review of the things while having a coffee or while walking. “Weaker men wait for an opportunity, while the stronger creates them”

Our job is only to convey:

Allah says in the Quran “So remind them, you are only a one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them.” [88:21-22]. we should only convey the message of Allah to the people; rest is in the hands of Allah.

Finally it’s the will of Allah:

Don’t get disappointed, if you feel it is not working. Our work is just to motivate them. Giving them hidayah is to the will of Allah. As Allah (swt) says in the Quran: “Verily, you guide not whom you like but Allah guides whom He wills….” [28:56] which means: Allah knows best who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be misguided. Allah declares that even after this clear, plain and unequivocal explanation, most men will still not believe, due to their rebellion, stubbornness and hypocrisy.

“And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky.”
[Al-Quran, Al-Anaam (6), Verse 125]

Salaat - Pray before you are prayed upon

Salaat - Pray before you are prayed upon

Check these picture out below, SubhanAllah, devoted Muslims of all ages, who seek to pray at the prescribed times regardless of where they are.

Rasulullah [SallAllahu Alayhi WaSallam] said,

"Pray while standing and if you can't, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side."

(Sahih Bukhari Volume 2 Book 20 No.218)



وإن كنت من ( المتكاسلين )
فستموت ميتة ( الخاسرين )
فلاتدع الصلاة تفوتك
Do not miss a prayer
Do not die a loser’s death



والله تعالى يقول : (( إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا )) .
Allah swt says in the Quran that prayer is prescribed upon the believers according to a precise timely record


so,
صَـلُّوا قــَـبْلَ أنْ يُصَلَّى عـَلـَـيْكُمْ
Pray before you are prayed upon


This is an amazing picture of a diver, praying underwater - I am not sure what the Fiqh issue is around this is.



Therefore, we should not add excuses to missing our obligation of Salaah - we must pray all 5 prayers daily Insha'Allah!

Kaaba-House of Allah !

Kaaba-House of Allah !

The small, cubed building known as the Kaaba may not rival skyscrapers in height or mansions in width, but its impact on history and human beings is unmatched.
The Kaaba is the building towards which Muslims face five times a day, everyday, in prayer. This has been the case since the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) over 1400 years ago.

The Size of the Kaaba:

The current height of the Kaaba is 39 feet, 6 inches and total size comes to 627 square feet.
The inside room of the Kaba is 13X9 meters. The Kaba’s walls are one meter wide. The floor inside is 2.2 meters higher than the place where people perform Tawaf.
The ceiling and roof are two levels made out of wood. They were reconstructed with teak which is capped with stainless steel.
The walls are all made of stone. The stones inside are unpolished, while the ones outside are polished.
This small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). No other building has had this honor.
Yet, not very much is known about the details of this small but significant building.
Did you know the Kaaba was reconstructed as recently as close to four years ago?
Did you know that the Kaaba has been subjected to danger by natural disasters like flooding, as well as human attacks?
If you didn’t keep reading. You’ll find some rarely heard of information discussed below and discover facts about the Kaaba many are unaware of.
The other names of the Kaba
Literally, Kaaba in Arabic means a high place with respect and prestige. The word Kaba may also be derivative of a word meaning a cube.
Some of these other names include:
(i) Bait ul Ateeq-which means, according to one meaning, the earliest and ancient. According to the second meaning, it means independent and liberating. Both meanings could be taken.
(ii) Bait ul Haram-the honorable house.
The Kaba has been reconstructed up to 12 times
Scholars and historians say that the Kaba has been reconstructed between five to 12 times.
The very first construction of the Kaba was done by Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Allah says in the Quran that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah.
After this, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) rebuilt the Kaba. The measurements of the Kaba’s Ibrahimic foundation are as follows:

-the eastern wall was 48 feet and 6 inches
-the Hateem side wall was 33 feet
-the side between the black stone and the Yemeni corner was 30 feet
-the Western side was 46.5 feet

Following this, there were several constructions before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be uponj him) ‘s time.

Reconstruction of Kaaba by Quraish

Prophet Muhammad participated in one of its reconstructions before he became a Prophet.
After a flash flood, the Kaba was damaged and its walls cracked. It needed rebuilding.
This responsibility was divided among the Quraish’s four tribes. Prophet Muhammad helped with this reconstruction.
Once the walls were erected, it was time to place the Black Stone, (the Hajar ul Aswad) on the eastern wall of the Kaba.
Arguments erupted about who would have the honor of putting the Black Stone in its place. A fight was about to break out over the issue, when Abu Umayyah, Makkah’s oldest man, proposed that the first man to enter the gate of the mosque the following morning would decide the matter. That man was the Prophet. The Makkans were ecstatic. “This is the trustworthy one (Al-Ameen),” they shouted in a chorus. “This is Muhammad“.
He came to them and they asked him to decide on the matter. He agreed.
Prophet Muhammad proposed a solution that all agreed to-putting the Black Stone on a cloak, the elders of each of the clans held on to one edge of the cloak and carried the stone to its place. The Prophet then picked up the stone and placed it on the wall of the Kaaba.
Since the tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of the Kaaba as built by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the first time the Kaba acquired the cubical shape it has now unlike the rectangle shape which it had earlier. The portion of the Kaba left out is called Hateem now.
Construction After the Prophet’s Time-Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr
The Syrian army destroyed the Kaba in Muharram 64 (Hijri date) and before the next Hajj Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, reconstructed the Kaba from the ground up.
Ibn az-Zubayr wanted to make the Kaba how the Prophet Muhammad wanted it, on the foundation of the Prophet Ibrahim.
Ibn az-Zubayr said, “I heard Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) say, ‘The Prophet said: “If your people had not quite recently abandoned the Ignorance (Unbelief), and if I had sufficient provisions to rebuild it [the Kaaba], I would have added five cubits to it from the Hijr. Also, I would make two doors; one for people to enter therein and the other to exit.” (Bukhari). Ibn az-Zubayr said, “Today, I can afford to do it and I do not fear the people.
Ibn az-Zubayr built the Kaaba on Prophet Ibrahim’s foundation. He put the roof on three pillars with the wood of Aoud (a perfumed wood with aroma which is traditionally burned to get a good smell out of it in Arabia).
In his construction he put two doors, one facing the east the other facing the west, as the Prophet wanted but did not do in his lifetime.
He rebuilt the Kaba on the Prophet Ibrahim’s foundation, which meant that the Hateem area was included. The Hateem is the area adjacent to the Kaba enclosed by a low semi-circular wall.
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr also made the following additions and modifications:
-put a small window close to the roof of the Kaba to allow for light.
-moved the door of the Kaba to ground level and added a second door to the Kaba.
-added nine cubits to the height of the Kaba, making it twenty cubits high.
-its walls were two cubits wide.
-reduced the pillars inside the House to three instead of six as were earlier built by Quraish.
For reconstruction, ibn az-Zubayr put up four pillars around Kaba and hung cloth over them until the building was completed. People began to do Tawaf around these pillars at all times, so Tawaf of the Kaba was never abandoned, even during reconstruction.

During Abdul Malik bin Marwan’s time

In 74 Hijri (or 693 according to the Gregorian calendar), Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafi, the known tyrant of that time, with the approval of Umayyad Khalifa Abdul Malik bin Marwan, demolished what Ibn az-Zubayr had added to it from the older foundation of Prophet Ibrahim, restore its old structure as the Quraish had had it.
Some of the changes he made were the following:

• he rebuilt it in the smaller shape which is found today

• took out the Hateem

• walled up the western door (whose signs are still visible today) and left the rest as it was

• pulled down the wall in the Hateem area.

• removed the wooden ladder Ibn az-Zubayr had put inside the Kaba.

• reduced the door’s height by five cubits

When Abdul Malik bin Marwan came for Umra and heard the Hadith that it was wish of Prophet for the Kaba to be constructed the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had built it, he regretted his actions.

Imam Malik’s advice to the Khalifa Harun al Rasheed

Abbasi Khalifa Harun al Rasheed wanted to rebuild the Kaba the way the Prophet Muhammad wanted and the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr built it.
But when he consulted Imam Malik, the Imam asked the Khalifa to change his mind because constant demolition and rebuilding is not respectful and would become a toy in the hands of kings. Each one would want to demolish and rebuild the Kaba.
Based on this advice, Harun al Rasheed did not reconstruct the Kaba. The structure remained in the same construction for 966 years, with minor repairs here and there.

Reconstruction during Sultan Murad Khan’s time

In the year 1039 Hijri, because of heavy rain, flood and hail, two of the Kaba’s walls fell down.
The flood during which this occurred took place on the 19th of Shaban 1039 Hijri which continued constantly, so the water in the Kaba became almost close to half of its walls, about 10 feet from the ground level.
On Thursday the 20th of Shaban 1039 Hijri, the eastern and western walls fell down.
When flood receded on Friday the 21st of Shaban, the cleanup started.
Again, a curtain, the way Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr established on 4 pillars, was put up, and the reconstruction started on the 26th of Ramadan. The rest of the walls except for the one near the Black Stone, were demolished.
By the 2nd of Zul-Hijjah 1040 the construction was taking place under the guidance of Sultan Murad Khan, the Ottoman Khalifa. From the point of the Black stone and below, the current construction is the same as that done by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
The construction which was done under the auspices of Murad Khan was exactly the one done at the time of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan which is the way the Quraysh had built it before Prophethood.
On Rajab 28 1377, One historian counted the total stones of the Kaba and they were 1,614. These stones are of different shapes. But the stones which are inside the outer wall which is visible are not counted in there.

Reconstruction of the Kaaba In 1996

A major reconstruction of the Kaba took place between May 1996 and October 1996.
This was after a period of about 400 years (since Sultan Murad Khan’s time).
During this reconstruction the only original thing left from the Kaba are the stones. All other material has been replaced including the ceiling and the roof and its wood.

South Africa's Wayne Parnell converts to Islam

Aslam Alaikum Wr Wb...

  

South Africa's Wayne Parnell converts to Islam

South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell has converted to Islam after a period of personal study and reflection and will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Friday as a Muslim.

Parnell confirmed in a statement on Thursday that he converted to Islamic faith in January this year and is considering a name change to Waleed, which means 'Newborn Son'.

"While I have not yet decided on an Islamic name I have considered the name Waleed which means Newborn Son, but for now my name remains Wayne Dillon Parnell. I will continue to respect the team's endorsement of alcoholic beverages. I am playing cricket in Sussex and this is my immediate focus," said Port Elizabeth-born Parnell.

"As I am approaching my first period of fasting, I ask that this special time is treated with respect. I am a young man, a professional cricketer by trade, and while I can appreciate and am grateful for the public interest in my personal life, my faith choice is a matter which I would like to keep private," said the promising Warriors left-arm seam bowler.

Proteas team manager Mohamed Moosajee, himself a Muslim, said Parnell's Muslim teammates Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir had not influenced his decision to convert from Christianity.

"Wayne already decided a few months ago to follow Islam," Moosajee said of the cricketer, who excelled during the ICC World Cup on the subcontinent.

"The decision to convert was his own decision, but I know nothing of the name change," added Moosajee.

Fellow players, preferring to remain anonymous, said they believed Parnell was very serious about his choice of religion and that he had not touched a drop of alcohol, forbidden to Muslims, since the recent Indian Premier League series.

Supporting Moosajee's denial of influence by Amla, the players said he had never attempted to convert them to his religion, although they had all been very impressed by the discipline and strict adherence that Amla showed to his religion, by refusing to participate in celebrations with them that involved liquor, staying steadfast in his daily prayers even while on tour, and refusing to wear the kit sponsored by South African beer brand Castle Lager.

In his first two years after making his debut for the Proteas in 2009, Parnell developed a hard-living reputation.

In October 2009, he was kicked out of the provincial side Warriors following an incident in a night club in the city of Port Elizabeth in the early hours of the morning.

He came to limelight when he captained the South African Under-19 team in the U-19 World Cup in 2008. He was the youngest player to get a central contract in 2009 at the age of 20 years.

He is the second Christian to have converted to Islam after Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammad Yousuf) in 2006.

Masha Allah...

How to treat Your Wife

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

  A couple that wishes to have a successful relationship must understand each other’s needs. A husband must take into account that a woman’s needs and expectations are different than a man’s. Great intimacy can only be achieved if a woman finds a complete, fulfilling relationship.

So what are women looking for in a marriage?

Women get married to find a special best friend. They want someone who will share their secrets, laugh and joke with them, love them, cherish them, adore them, be romantic with them, and make them feel beautiful and so on. They want someone who will be attracted to them emotionally through their personality,

A woman wants a partner who will strive together with her through this life; laughing and rejoicing through the good times, and sticking by each other and supporting each other through the bad times. She wants a man strong in his deen who can stand up and take the responsibility of the household, and help raise the children in accordance with Islam.

 A woman wants her husband to be her friend, companion, and soul mate.

Any good husband must realize that a woman’s primary need is emotional.He must take into account the prophetic tradition “The best of you are those who are best to their wives,” [Sahih al-Bukhari], and then strive to be the best to his wife.


Men have been assigned the responsibility by Allah to take care of their wives, and this entails treating them with love and respect, and striving to make them happy. If a husband can fulfill his wife’s primary needs, not only will Allah reward him, his wife will be content with him, and together the couple’s life will be more harmonious. Moreover, when a woman’s needs are fulfilled she will be more willing to fulfill her husband’s needs.

The best way to satisfy a woman’s emotional needs is to listen to her and respond to her with compassion. By listening to her intently, with your undivided attention, and taking a genuine interest in what she has to say, she will feel loved, cherished and important. Realize that when she approaches you with her problems, she doesn’t necessarily want solutions, she just wants sympathy and understanding.

And Insha Allah we will discuss other ways to make a woman feel special and content within a marriage.

Jazakum Allah khayr!

Advice For Every Husband

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

 ••►••AdvicE••►•• FOR EVERY HUSBAND

"Love her …when she sips on your coffee or tea. She only wants to make sure it tastes just right for you.

Love her…when she "pushes" you to pray. She wants to be with you in Jannah (Paradise).

Love her…when she asks you to play with the kids. She did not "make" them on her own.
...
Love her...when she is jealous. Out of all the men she can have, she chose you

Love her…when she has annoying little habits that drives you nuts. You have them too.

Love her…when her cooking is bad. She tries.

Love her…when she looks dishevelled in the morning. She always grooms herself up again.

Love her…when she asks to help with the kids homework. She only wants you to be part of the home.

Love her...when she asks if she looks fat. Your opinion counts, so tell her she's beautiful.

Love her…when she looks beautiful. She's yours so appreciate her.

Love her...when she spends hours to get ready. She only wants to look her best for you.

Love her…when she buys you gifts you don't like. Smile and tell her it's what you've always wanted.

Love her…when she has developed a bad habit. You have many more and with wisdom and politeness you have all the time to help her change. Love her…when she cries for absolutely nothing. Don't ask, tell her its going to be okay

Love her…when she suffers from PMS. Buy chocolate, rub her feet and back and just chat to her (trust me this works!)

Love her…when whatever you do is not pleasing. It happens and will pass

Love her…when she stains your clothes. You needed a new thobe (kurta) anyway

Love her…when she tells you how to drive. She only wants you to be safe.

Love her…when she argues. She only wants to make things right for both

Love her…she is yours. You don't need any other special reason!!!!

All this forms part of a Woman's Character. Women are part of your life and should be treated as the Queen.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) advised concerning the woman:

• Treat the women well.

• The best of you are those who are the best in the treatment of their wives."

.....▬▬▬•Please LIKE/SHARE/~ •▬▬▬....

Dawa.tv - I Love Islam

The Timlines of The Holy Kaba

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

This is a Gift For Muslims

For the love of Allah!: Start preparing!

Start preparing!

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

‘Kullu nafsin dzaa'iqatul maut’ translated as ‘Every soul shall taste death!

Yes it doesn’t matter who you are:

young or old

rich or poor

male or female

You will taste death......

EVERY PERSON HAS AN APPOINTED TERM.......

when the term is reached.....that's it!

Your soul will be taken back to who it belongs

Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji'oon meaning:

'To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.'......its as simple as that!

But do we REALLY, TRULY understand these words and their implications in our life?

It means …whatever we have is not really ours. It belongs to Allah. We belong to Allah

Each day that passes, each day we breathe, each day we go about our lives, sinning or doing good, is but a day closer to our end, closer to our return to Allah SWT....time is running out so ‘Take Account of yourself before you are accounted for’.

A powerful video  to reflect upon.....check it out

The title ‘ There is No fleeing from death’:

Russia enters the world of Islamic finance

NICOLAS MILETITCH

KAZAN, Russia - Agence France-Presse

A Russian Muslim prays in the central Qol Sharif mosque in Kazan, Tatarstan, in this file photo. Tatarstan prepares to issue Russia's first Islamic bonds. AFP photo

Hoping to attract new capital, Russia will take its first step into the world of Islamic finance this month by issuing sukuk, Islamic bonds which comply with Muslim religious rules.
The bonds are to be issued by the majority Muslim Russian republic of Tatarstan in the Volga region, which has embarked on an ambitious drive to attract foreign investment.
"Russia will show that it can be interesting for Muslim countries," one of the project's backers, Linar Yakupov told Agence France-Presse. "Right now Islamic banks cannot work in Russia, because our legislation does not take into account the Koran's restrictions."

Islam forbids borrowing or paying with interest, and sukuk (the plural of the Arabic word for a financial deed) are not based on debt-like traditional bonds. Instead, buying the bonds secures partial ownership in a concrete asset like land or a building, and investors are guaranteed a part of the profits generated by this underlying asset.
The first sukuk to be issued in Tatarstan's capital Kazan on June 20 will be going toward financing a major business center in the city whose construction will cost $200 million.
"Sukuk are guaranteed by the Tatarstan government, the operator will be based in Luxembourg, and we know that the international market is ready to buy," Yakupov said.
Among the interested investors are the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, and various banks in the Middle East, Malaysia, and Russia, he said.
Bringing Islamic banks to Russia is "possible and even necessary", Tatarstan's leader Rustam Minnikhanov told investors in Dubai in early May, according to the RIA Novosti agency.
In Moscow, however, federal authorities are showing greater caution.
"There is no existing law nor a draft law regulating Islamic finance. Given the lack of eagerness from the federal authorities to study this issue, we should not expect it for another two or three years," said Oleg Ivanov, vice-president of the Regional Banks Association of Russia.
Ivanov's association has tried without success to include Islamic finance into Russia's strategy for developing its banking system to 2015, which was adopted by the government two months ago.
"The government and the Central Bank did not support us," Ivanov told AFP.

Islam Forbade Followers Be Starting Provocation.

وَلاَ تَسُبُّواْ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ فَيَسُبُّواْ اللّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَذَلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ


Meaning :
Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. Thus unto every nation have We made their deed seem fair. Then unto their Lord is their return, and He will tell them what they used to do.

Al-An’am, Verse 108

No reason for Namaz

Aslam Alaikum Wr Wb..,

Dear friends how are you ? After a long day i post new collection pictures. These picture about pray to Allah. Please pray 5 times in 24 hours. Look following pictures, they are pray to Allah in these condition's. Just imagine !!!

At last i request all of my friend to proper pray to Allah. Allah hafaz.

The Man That Changed The World Forever - Imam Afroz Ali | SUMSA IAW 2011

The Uniqueness of the Quran - Abdullah Kunde | SUMSA IAW 2011

ISLAM: THE RELIGION BASED ON GOD’S UNITY

ISLAM: THE RELIGION BASED ON GOD’S UNITY

Today in the world, where more than five billion people are living, Islam is the only religion which is based solely on the Divine Unity (Tawhid). All other religions, whether of God-revealed origin like Judaism and Christianity, or essentially polytheistic, have been darkened somehow by a cloud of polytheism or paganism.

Islam and other religions in respect to the concept of deity

All religion, as stated before, which had been revealed to the Prophets of various nations was the same in essence, but in the course of time its message had been misinterpreted and it had become mixed up with superstitions and had degenerated into magical practices and meaningless rituals. The conception of God, the very core of religion, had become debased by (a) the anthromorphic tendency of turning God into a being with human shape and passions, (b) by deification of the angels, (c) by the association of other personalities with Godhead of the one and only God (as in Hinduism and Christianity), (d) by making the Prophets or some godly persons into incarnations of God (e.g., Jesus Christ in Christianity, the Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism, Krishna and Rama in Hinduism), and (e) by the personification of the attributes of God into separate Divine persons (e.g., the Christian Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost and the Hindu Trimutri of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). The Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (God’s peace and blessing be upon him and his household) rejected all such theological trends and restored the conception of God to its pristine purity as the only Creator, Sustainer and Master of all the creation (Rabbu’l-alamin ve ilahuhum ve malikuhum). Thus, as John Davenpurt puts it,

Among many excellencies of which the Quran may justly boast are two eminently conspicuous: the one being the tone of awe and reverence which it always observes when speaking of, or referring to, the Deity, to Whom it never attributes human frailties and passions; the other the total absence throughout it of all impure, immoral and indecent ideas, expressions, narratives, etc., blemishes, which, it is much to be regretted, of too frequent occurrence in the Jewish scriptures.

Man is not, in essence, an omnipotent being

Although we, the people of the scientific age, have been blinded to some fundamental human limitations by great advances in technology, man is not, in essence, an omnipotent being. Neither he is self-sufficient and self-existing nor are his powers without limitations. He is, in fact, weak, frail, needy and destitute. He cannot create even a leaf or a gnat, of an insect, nor can he form a molecule of water without much expenditure, a fact which modern man does not wish to confess under the spell of modern technology. All natural events from the rising and setting of the sun to the movements of atoms, which he seems satisfied to ascribe to natural laws although they nominally, but not really and externally, exist, take place without his intervention. Furthermore, his own body works independently of him so that he cannot prevent himself from sleeping and becoming hungry or thirsty, and a microscopic creature can cause his death. He is always accompanied by sorrows arising from the misfortunes of the past, and by worries about the future. Fear, love and expectations are inseparable from his earthly existence, while such things as youth and beauty, of which he is very fond, leave him without saying “good-bye”. Things such as misfortunes, old age and death, however greatly he fears them, overwhelm him unexpectedly. There are countless requirements which he needs to maintain his existence, but none of them are essentially and totally under his control. He may be injured by many other events; accidents may bring his hopes to a sudden end; diseases and calamities always threaten him and mar his way to happiness. He experiences earthquakes, storms, floods, fires, and other natural catastrophies. The vast variety of phenomena, on the one hand, and the consciousness of his own frailty on the other, impress him with a deep sense of his own weakness and helplessness.

Modern man actually needs religion more than the ‘primitive man’

In spite of his claims to have complete dominance over nature, and of the great advances in his ‘conquering’ space so that he seems no longer to have need of divinity or religion, modern man actually needs religion more than the ‘primitive man’. He may not be worshipping fetishes of the ‘primitive’ man such as trees, animals, rivers, fire, rain, and heavenly bodies, but, as Erich Fromm puts it, fetishism has not ceased to be the religion of millions of people. The number of fetishes worshipped by modern man today is much greater; national heroes, film stars, politicians, football players, and musicians are the fetishes of modern man. Furthermore, such modern religions as ‘transcendental meditation, necromancy, and the worship of Satan and genies’ are being practiced by millions, who cannot be satisfied with scientific and technological advancements and what they have brought to the human life. Besides this, stadiums, night clubs, casinos, trade unions’ buildings, and even factories and some institutions become places where the devotion of the masses is engaged instead of worship. This they substitute since they have not been able to suppress their need for worship. It is inevitable for one who does not believe in and worship the One God to be the slave of numerous deities.

Tawhid in the universe and as the highest conception of deity

It is Tawhid, that is the Principle of Divine Unity and Oneness, which is clearly observed throughout the universe. Whoever takes a look at himself and his environment can easily discern that everything depends upon this basic principle of God-revealed Religion. Parts of the human body, for example, are in close cooperation with one another, and each cell of it is so connected with the whole body that it is impossible not to conclude that He Who has created the single cell is also He Who created the whole body. Likewise, the elements comprising the universe are interrelated and in harmony with each other and the universe as a whole. One cannot help believing that the entire universe from particles to the galaxies has been brought into existence by the same Creator, and further that the motion of particles observed in an atom is the same as that is observed in the solar system. Everything originates from ‘one’ and eventually will return to ‘one’, as stated in the Quran: “We originated the first creation, so We shall bring it back (to its former state) again.” (21:104) A tree, for instance, grows out of a seed or a stone to result finally in a seed or stone. These visible evidences explain why an orderliness and harmony are observed in the whole universe because it operates in strict obedience to the One Who has established that order; in other words, it is directly operated by the Creator, the One, the All-omnipotent and the All-knowing. Otherwise, as pointed out in the Quran “each god would have taken off what he created and some of them would have risen up over others; had there been gods in earth and heaven other than God, they both had been in disorder.” (21:22)

Tawhid is the highest conception of deity, the knowledge of which God has sent to mankind in all ages through His Prophets. It was this same knowledge which all the Prophets including Moses, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad (God’s blessings be upon them all) brought to mankind. Men became guilty of polytheism or idol-worship after the demise of their Prophets only because they deviated from the pure teachings of the Prophets. They relied upon their own faulty reasoning, false perceptions and biased interpretations in order to satisfy their lusts, which they would be unable to do with a Tawhid-based system where they would have to obey the commandments of the One Supreme God.

“The foremost in religion”, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the Fourth Caliph, is reported to have said, “is God’s knowledge, the perfection of His knowledge is to testify to Him, the perfection of testifying to Him is to believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him as pure and the perfection of His purity is to deny all kinds of negative attributes about Him.” He is infinite and eternal; He is self-existent and self-sufficient. As stated in the Quran, “He is God, One, needy of nothing and Everlasting Refuge; He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him. Vision perceives Him not, and He perceives all vision. Nothing whatsoever (is there) like the like of Him; and He (alone) is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing.” In the words of Ali again, “He is Being but not through the phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existence. He is with everything but not by physical nearness. He is different from everything but not by physical separation. He acts but without the accompaniment of movements and instruments. He is the One, only such that there is none with whom He keeps company or whom He misses in his absence.”

God’s Attributes cannot be transferred nor could they be present in another since they are infinite. A being who is incapable of remaining alive by himself cannot give life to others. The one who cannot protect his own power is definitely unsuited to govern the vast universe. The more one reflects upon the matter, the firmer would be one’s conviction that all the divine powers and attributes must exist in one and the same being alone.

The implications of Tawhid in individual and social lives of people

One who believes in Tawhid can never be narrow-minded in his outlook. His belief in One God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Master of the east and the west and Sustainer of the entire universe, leads him to look upon everything as belonging to the same Lord, to Whom he himself belongs, so that he does not regard anything in the universe as an alien. His sympathy, love, and service do not remain confined to any particular race, color or group, and he comes to comprehend the significance of the Prophetic saying: “O servants of God, be brethren!”

Belief in Tawhid produces highest degree of self-respect and self-esteem in man. The believer knows that God alone is the Possessor of all power, and that none besides Him can benefit or harm a person, or provide for his needs, or give or take away life or wield authority and influence. This conviction makes him indifferent to, and independent and fearless of, all powers other than those of God. He never bows his head in homage to any of God’s creatures, nor does he hold out his hand to anyone else.

The follower of polytheism is one who, even though he be a despotic king or president, will abase himself and bow his head before whomsoever he finds it of advantage to do so. The follower of Tawhid, however, is one who never debases himself to worship any created being no matter how powerful and rich he might be, and never would take anything, even if it were Paradise, other than by God’s pleasure and approval. The follower of polytheism is one, who, even though he is harsh and unyielding, prostrates himself before him from whom he expects an atom of benefit, while the follower of Tawhid, although humble and mild, never bows down to anyone without the approval of his Creator. The follower of polytheism is proud of himself but, in essence, he is absolutely impotent since he has nothing to rely upon other than himself, whereas the follower of Tawhid, although he is naturally weak and powerless as a human being, is powerful enough to resist the whole world by the power of his Lord. While the follower of polytheism is selfish and arrogant since his purpose in life is to satisfy his worldly desires, the follower of Tawhid is virtuous and altruistic because his purpose is to gain God’s approval by working for His pleasure. The boisterous pride of power and wealth can have no room in the heart of one who believes in Tawhid, because he knows that whatever he possesses has been bestowed upon him by God, and that God can take away just as easily as He can give.

The follower of Tawhid has the conviction that there is no other means of success and salvation for him except purity of soul and righteousness of behavior. He has perfect faith in God, Who is above all need, is related to none, is absolutely just, and none has any hand or influence on the exercise of His Divine power. This belief creates in him the consciousness that, unless he lives rightly and acts justly, he cannot succeed. No influence or underhand activity can save him from ruin. As against this, the followers of polytheism always live on false hopes. Some of them believe that Jesus, whom they regard as the son of God, has atoned for their sins; some think that they are God’s favorites, and accordingly will not be punished; others believe that their ‘idols or saints’ will intercede with God on their behalf; while others make offerings to their deities and believe that by so bribing them they have acquired a license for all frivolities and ill-deeds and can do whatever they like. Such false beliefs keep them always entangled in the meshes of sin and evil deeds, and depending on their deities they neglect to purify their souls and live pure and good lives.

The believer in the Divine Unity does not become hopeless and disappointed under any circumstances. His firm faith in God, Who is the Master of all the treasures of the earth and the heavens, and Whose grace and bounty have no limit and powers are infinite, imparts to his heart extraordinary consolation, fills it with satisfaction and keeps it filled with hope. In this world he might meet with rejection at all doors, nothing herein might serve his ends, all means might, one after another, desert him; but faith in, and dependence on, God never leave him, and upon their strength he goes on struggling. Such a profound confidence can result from no other belief than belief in One God. This belief produces in man a very strong degree of determination, patient perseverance, and trust in God. When he makes up his mind and devotes his resources to fulfill the Divine Commands in order to secure God’s pleasure, he is sure that he has the support and backing of the Lord of the Universe. As to polytheists and atheists, they have small hearts; they depend on limited powers; therefore in hours of trouble they are soon overwhelmed by despair and, frequently, they commit suicide. The testimony of Professor Joad is very explicit on this point. He wrote about the West in 1950s.

For the first time in history there is coming to maturity a generation of men and women who have no religion, and feel no need for one. They are content to ignore it. Also they are very unhappy, the suicide rate is abnormally high. (The Present and Future of the Religion)

As opposed to this, what a non-Muslim historian, not in any way sympathetic to the creed of Islam, writes about the Islamic conception of Tawhid is worth mentioning:

In this uncompromising monotheism, with its simple, enthusiastic faith in the supreme rule of a transcendental being, lies the chief strength of Islam. Its adherents enjoy a consciousness of contentment and resignation unknown among followers of most creeds. Suicide is rare in Muslim lands. (Phillip K. Hitti, History of the Arabs, 1951, p:129)

Belief in Tawhid inspires bravery in man. There are two things which make a man cowardly: (i) fear of death and love of safety, and (ii) the idea that there is someone else besides God who can take away life, and that man, by adopting certain devices, can ward off death. Belief in there is no deity but God purges the mind of both these ideas. The first idea goes from his mind because he knows that his life, and his property, and everything else really belong to God, and he becomes ready to sacrifice his all for God’s approval. He gets rid of the second idea since he knows that no weapon, no man or no power can take away his life; God alone has the power to do so. A time has been ordained for him, and all the forces of the world combined cannot take away anyone’s life a moment before the appointed time, nor can they delay his death an instant. It is because of this firm belief in one God and dependence upon Him only that no one is braver than a believer.

Belief in the Oneness of God creates an attitude of peace and contentment, purges the mind of subtle passions and jealousy, envy and greed, and keeps away the ideas of resorting to base and unfair means for achieving success. The believer understands that wealth is in God’s hands, that honor, power, reputation and authority are subjected to His Will, and that He bestows them as He wishes; and that man’s duty is only to endeavor and struggle fairly. He knows that success and failure depend upon God’s grace; if He wills to give, no power in the world can prevent Him from doing so; and if He does not will it, no power can force Him but the believer never forgets that it is incumbent upon him to try his hardest to deserve God’s grace. On the other hand, the polytheists and atheists consider success and failure to come solely from their own efforts or by the help of earthly powers without taking God’s grace and Will into consideration. Therefore they always remain slaves to cupidity and envy. To achieve success, they never hesitate to have recourse to bribery, flattery, conspiracy, and other kinds of base and unfair means.

The belief in the Divine Unity makes man obey and observe the Divine Law. One who has belief in it is certain that God knows everything hidden or open, and is nearer to him than his own jugular vein. If he commits a sin in a secluded corner and in the darkness of night, God knows it; He even knows our unformed thoughts and intentions, bad or good, of which we may not ourselves be aware. We can hide things from everyone, but we cannot hide anything from God; we can evade everyone, but it is impossible to evade God’s grasp. The firmer a man’s belief is in this respect, the more observant will he be of God’s commands. It is for this reason that the first and the most important condition for being a Muslim is to have firm and sincere faith in the Oneness of God.

Faith in One God is the most important and fundamental principle in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and God’s blessings be upon him). It is the bedrock of Islam and the mainspring of its power. All other beliefs, commands and laws of Islam stand firm on this foundation.

Lastly, it is of much significance to quote the remarks of a famous Italian orientalist, Dr. Laura Veccia Vaglieri, concerning the universal spirit of the Islamic Tawhid (Apologia dell Islamismo, translated into English as ‘An Interpretation of Islam’ by Dr. Caselli, pp. 30-33):

The Prophet, with a voice which was inspired by a deep communion with his Maker, preached the purest monotheism to the worshippers of fetish and the followers of a corrupted Christianity and Judaism. He put himself in open conflict with those regressive tendencies of mankind which lead to the association of other beings with the Creator.

In order to lead men to a belief in one God, he did not delude them with happenings which deviate from the normal course of nature. Rather, he simply invited them, without asking them to leave the realm of reality, to consider the Universe and its laws. Being confident of the resultant belief in the one and indispensable God, he simply let men read in the book of life.

Thanks to Islam, paganism in its various forms was defeated. The concept of the Universe, the practices of religion, and the customs of social life were each liberated from all the monstrosities which had degraded them, and human minds were made free of prejudice. Man finally realized his dignity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD BISMILLAH (IN THE NAME OF GOD)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD BISMILLAH (IN THE NAME OF GOD) Bismillah, In the Name of God, is the beginning of all good things. So we too shall start with it. This blessed phrase is a sign of Islam, and all creatures constantly recite it in their unique way. If you want to understand what an inexhaustible source of strength and blessing bismillah is, then listen to the following allegory: For a stranger who travels in the deserts of Arabia, it is necessary to get the protection of a tribal chief. Only then may he escape the mischief of robbers and be sure his needs will be met. Traveling alone would be a waste of time because of the enemies and unmet needs he must face. Two men once set out on such a desert jour­ney. One was humble, the other arrogant. The humble man took the protection of a tribal chief, but the arrogant one didn’t. The former traveled everywhere in safety. Whenever he met a robber, he would say, “I’m traveling in the name of such and such chief,” and the robber would move on without molesting him. He would be treated with respect in every tent he entered because of that name. By contrast, the arrogant one suffered indescribable disasters throughout his journey. He trembled in constant fear and was obliged to struggle and beg for his every need. He became low and mean. Man is a traveler in the desert of the world O arrogant soul! You are that traveler and this world is the desert. Your weakness and pov­erty know no bounds. You face countless enemies and privations. So, invoke the name of the Eternal Owner and the Everlasting Ruler of this world. Only then will you be saved from having to beg from others and from constantly living in fear. The phrase bismillah is so blessed a treasure that, by connecting you to the infinite Power and Mercy of the Omnipotent and Merciful One, it transforms your weakness and poverty into the most heeded of intercessors at His Exalted Court. The one who, uttering bismillah, acts in the name of God, is like the one who joins an army and then acts under the state’s name. He fears no one, does all things in the name of the law and the state and persists against all odds.